Greetings from Artistic Director Curt Columbus and

FROM THE ARTHUR P. SOLOMON AND SALLY E. LAPIDES ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

EACH YEAR AT THIS TIME,

I compose a letter welcoming our audiences to Trinity Rep’s annual production of A Christmas Carol. I always return to Dickens’ astonishingly compact and fulfilling text to find something in it that inspires me to talk about the production. In re-reading it every year, I am struck by how relevant, how contemporary it is. In fact, in reading A Christmas Carol a couple of weeks ago, I found myself feeling lighter — despite the enormous challenges our society is facing. Dickens’s story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a man who has been diminished because he has been cut off from his fellow humans, is about the possibility of redemption and change. As he says to the Ghost of the Future as the grave opens before him, “Why show me this if I am past all hope?” There is always hope, Dickens tells us. Even Scrooge can be redeemed. While it is hard to see beyond the present moment, there is hope for Ebenezer Scrooge, so there is hope for us. Skipping a year of telling this story is simply unthinkable. Now, more than ever, we need to find ways to come together (even if virtually), hear stories of hope, and keep treasured traditions alive. That is why we gathered some of Trinity Rep’s great actors and artists to re-imagine this tale once again. We have been gathering together in Zoom rooms throughout the fall, exploring how to tell the story as if for the first time — and in a completely new medium. This year, we are coming to you over the internet. (Through the internet? Along the internet? I’m one of those people who uses the internet but blissfully does not understand how it works…) The mode may be different, but we have labored to capture something theatrical, something that feels like a show you would see if you were sitting in your seat in the Chace Theater. We wanted you to feel the connection to the actors and the story, first and foremost. Because that’s what we are all about, telling stories to people who have gathered with us. Dickens is right. There is hope. We know that in Rhode Island better than other people, it’s in our state motto and on the state flag. I look forward to the day when we can gather again at the theater, for stories, for community, to share an experience and be together. I wish that day could be today, but for now, please join us for this digital celebration of hope.

Curt Columbus The Arthur P. Solomon and Sally E. Lapides Artistic Director

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

WELCOME TO THE RETURN of The Trinity Square magazine. When it became clear that we wouldn’t be able to gather in-person for some time, we looked for new ways to stay connected and serve you. While Trinity Rep has been creating loads of digital content for our website and social media channels and opportunities to gather virtually (learn more in the coming pages), we acknowledge that the internet is not everyone’s go-to resource. This quarterly magazine will provide you with behind-thescenes content on all of the exciting work still happening at Trinity Rep. Most people associate Trinity Rep with our stage productions, but the reality is that those productions only represent about half of the work of the organization. The balance of our efforts lives in education and community, both of which are very vital and vibrant, even during this pandemic. This work is not without modification during these unusual times, but it continues to advance our mission “to reinvent the public square with dramatic art that stimulates, educates, and engages our diverse community in a continuing dialogue.” On the horizon, our free, digital production of A Christmas Carol carries forward that 40+ year tradition in a new, innovative way. By offering this production free and online, it will be viewable by anyone around the world, at any time during the holidays. Families who may not have gathered together even during pre-pandemic times can now share this story virtually. My parents gave me my first experience in the theater as a child at a production of A Christmas Carol, and it changed my life forever, opening my mind and my heart to the world’s enormous possibilities and inspiring my curiosity in understanding different people and ideas. Many years and many productions of A Christmas Carol later, it remains an important touchstone and tradition in my life, as it does for many. Preserving that tradition is important. Tradition is an elemental part of the theater for artists and audiences. This is an over 2,000-year-old art form, after all. It has survived plagues, natural disasters, and political censorship. For 56 years, Trinity has been producing art that unites our community through shared experiences and stories. Tradition and culture play such a critical role in defining our lives, which is why it is so important that we share them with others. Another tradition that many have, including me, is that of year-end charitable giving. The holidays are a time for giving and for thinking of others. I find joy in the charitable gifts I make, ever fighting “ignorance” and “want.” At this time of year, we hope you’ll support your non-profit theater by helping to underwrite our digital programming, education services, and community development work that improve the lives of thousands each year. With your charitable support, for example, this year’s A Christmas Carol will ignite the imaginations of thousands of students through Project Discovery, as it streams into classrooms throughout the region; brighten the holidays for families through our partnership with the Rhode Island Community Food Bank; and create treasured memories that will be with viewers today, tomorrow, and for years to come. Your tax-deductible gift, no matter the size, makes a difference. You may contribute online at www.TrinityRep.com. With optimism and drive similar to what Trinity Rep’s founders must have experienced, we are embracing the opportunities created by this rare pause of in-person performances to develop, implement, and re-forge a bold new vision for theater-making, education, and community engagement in Rhode Island, centered on equity and inclusion. The work of today will ensure that when we reach the other side of the pandemic we can build Trinity Rep back as a more just and welcoming organization for our artists, employees, and community. We hope you will join and support us in this transformative work. You can read more about our commitment and plans on page 15. Thank you for being an important part of our tradition and of our future. From all of us at Trinity Repertory Company, may you and yours have a very happy and healthy holiday season and New Year.

Without a Heart, it’s just a machine.

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Everyone has important places to go. So we invented low-fares to help them get there.

Here, we think everyone deserves to feel special, no matter where you sit or how much you fly.

And with all the places we’re going next, we’ll always put you first, because our love of People is still our most powerful fuel.

Some say we do things differently.

We say, why would we do things any other way?

Without a Heart, it’s just a machine.

Southwest Airlines® proudly supports Trinity Rep.